In Doris Lessing's "rite of passage" short story, there are a number of external conflicts (conflicts between or among characters) as well as internal conflicts (struggles within a character). The main focus of the story is upon Jerry, an eleven year old boy who accompanies his widowed mother to the seashore on holiday.

One day at the beach Jerry wishes to exert some independence from his mother and swim where "the wild-looking rocks" are [internal conflict], but he just looks and then stays with his mother.

The next day, he asks about going over to these rocks; his mother finds them "wild looking" and worries [internal conflict], but gives her permission, telling herself, "he's old enough to be safe without me."

Jerry goes, but feels guilty [internal] as he swims out, then looks back at his mother on shore.

Seeing a group of boys, "To be with them was a craving that filled his whole body" [internal], so he swims closer.

They turned "watch him with narrowed, alert dark eyes [external].

One smiles, so Jerry swims near them, "smiling with desperate nervous supplication." When the others realize he is foreign, they "proceeded to forget him" [external], but Jerry is happy and dives with them.

However, when Jerry clowns, they "looked down at gravely, frowning" with disapproval [external].

Then, the boys dive into the sea and do not reappear until Jerry has counted to 150; he cannot figure out where they have gone [internal].

"They swam back to the shore without a look at him...leaving to get away from him at another promontory. "He cried himself out"[internal].

After he returns alone to the villa, he abruptly tells his mother that he wants some swimming goggles and insists that they go to a shop immediately [external]

The next time Jerry goes to the promontory, he cannot locate the tunnel through which the boys must have swum [external]; repeatedly, he gropes on the surface of the rock in order to locate the opening.

"He knew that he must find his way through that cave, or hole, or tunnel and out the other side" [internal]. Jerry desires to feel himself like the older boys, so he must exercise his lungs: "all that he could become depended upon it [internal].

After he returns home a second time with a nose bleed, Jerry's mother makes him go with her the next day [external], and "[I]t was a torment to waste a day of training" for Jerry [internal]

For Jerry, too, the beach now seems but a place for little children [external].

Continuing his practice by the tunnel, Jerry worries about the feat: "Supposing he turned dizzy...? or died there trapped?" He nearly gives up on his idea, considering postponing it until next summer [internal].

Deciding, "This was the moment when he would try. If he did not ...he never would," he yet has a fear and horror of the tunnel under the dark sea [internal].

As he descends, Jerry worries about dying. No one would find him until those "boys would swim into it and find it blocked" [internal].

But, he perseveres. "He was without light and water seemed to press upon him...his head was pulsing" [external]. He panics some, but kicks forward, ducking his head and swims through the tunnel, still fearful of banging his head [internal]. Jerry knows he must continue despite his swelling head and cracking lungs. "He felt he was dying "[internal] as blood fills his eyes and nose.

Still, he makes it through the tunnel [external].

His mother is anxious upon seeing him, but counsels herself, "...don't worry. He can swim like a fish"[internal]